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Thursday, May 16, 2013
Alan Hamilton
05/16/13 05:44 PM,
When first starting out in audio, a newcomer will hear terms that may seem like a whole new language. These terms are very common to hear in arenas, union halls, theatres, and similar venues. While not so common in clubs, even there you can hear some of these terms used by the seasoned veterans of the business. This would be particularly true of clubs that work with regional and national touring acts. You can expect to hear experienced production people…
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Bruce Bartlett
05/16/13 04:08 PM,
What goes around comes around. From the 1920s through the 1940s, PA systems for music often used only a single microphone. Band members would gather closely around this mic, balancing their sound by moving toward or away from the mic. Radio broadcasts and recordings often used one mic as well. And over the past several years, this “old-fashioned” technique is making a comeback. Many bluegrass and folk bands use the one-mic method with surprisingly good results, typically using a large…
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Tuesday, May 14, 2013
Pat Brown
05/14/13 04:06 PM,
The procedure often followed for equalizing a loudspeaker is to place the measurement microphone on-axis and adjust for the flattest frequency response. This often involves boosting some filters when the axial response over a range of frequencies is lower than the average. Those that are opposed to the use of boost filters may choose to arrive at the same resultant response by reducing (cutting) parts of the response to the lowest common denominator. This results in the same electrical curve,…
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Tuesday, May 07, 2013
Dave Rat
05/07/13 05:31 PM,
Mixing sound in the live realm is not rocket science. In fact, it’s probably closer to voodoo. A studio engineer creates a masterpiece that will (hopefully) live forever in permanent hard copy existence. But the very nature of a live mixing dictates that every show will be unique - and that none will be perfect. A front of house engineer is in the business of creating a memory. Impact, excitement and anticipation form the landscape of the journey you’re guiding…
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Pat Brown
05/07/13 05:16 PM,
It’s nearly impossible to mount a loudspeaker in a room without placing it near a room boundary. Some logical questions arise: 1. Does this affect the response? 2. Is the effect good or bad? 3. Can I use the boundary to my advantage? 4. Will treatment help? And, can room boundaries be a “tool of the trade”? Space-Loading Space-loading loudspeakers means that the otherwise spherical radiation is limited by a boundary or boundaries. Some common scenarios are shown in Figure…
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Thursday, May 02, 2013
Todd Hartmann
05/02/13 03:51 PM,
Choosing an audio console can be likened to a guitarist choosing an ax – it’s the pallet with which one creates. Some engineers have built their mixing techniques around plug-ins while others rely on complex channel grouping or outboard gear. It’s difficult to classify one platform as “better” or “worse” than another, simply because it boils down to one question: does it help produce the best-sounding show possible in the shortest amount of time? In addition, due to the enormous…
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Wednesday, May 01, 2013
Craig Leerman
05/01/13 04:36 PM,
Some in audio think that the term “rigging” only applies when loudspeakers are flown, but it also pertains to lesser endeavors such as placing a single loudspeaker on a tripod stand. The bottom line is that for any piece of production gear not sitting directly on the ground, steps must be in place to insure that it does not fall and injure someone (or worse). The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), the U.S. agency that sets and enforces work…
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Monday, April 29, 2013
Teri Hogan
04/29/13 03:51 PM,
A concert sound system is, in reality, two completely separate sound systems, joined at the hip by a split snake. Each system requires a skilled engineer, but the skill-sets between the two differ vastly. The thing that baffles me is how ill regarded the position of monitor engineer is among my brethren. It can be easily argued and defended that the monitor engineer works twice as hard as everyone else on the crew, unless he/she is lucky enough to have…
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Monday, April 01, 2013
Omer Inan
04/01/13 12:42 PM,
High-end audio equipment manufacturers pride themselves on consistently delivering robust products that hold up to rough treatment. Unfortunately, the success of any live performance depends on more than just the products themselves: many complex environmental, human, and unknown factors can cause a performance to fail. Radio frequency (RF) interference can compromise the transmission, causing the audio to drop out. The presenter can lean in and nearly swallow the gooseneck microphone head, creating loud pops and bass boost. A drop of…
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Wednesday, February 20, 2013
Mark Frink
02/20/13 06:41 PM,
Touring as a monitor engineer has taught me many tricks over the years. Here are some of my favorite pieces of advice for those who may be just starting out… Audio Logs Like Groundhog Day (or a symphony pops tour), I keep repeating the following: the best loudspeaker accessory is the simplest and cheapest. If you have nothing better to do one day, find an hour to cut some 2 x 4 lumber into one-foot lengths and paint them black.…
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